Major tune up.
#1
Major tune up.
I've been slowly pulling my '96 Ram 1500 apart to do a major tune up. Plenum repair, plugs, wire, cap and rotor, all new hoses (bypass was about to pop when I got in there) new timing chain, and some other stuff like valve cover gaskets and water pump. The old pump is good, but why put an old one back on?
Imagine my joy today when the third intake bolt I removed, the very front one on the drivers side, broke off. From the length of what came out, I suspect it's flush with the head.
Imagine my joy today when the third intake bolt I removed, the very front one on the drivers side, broke off. From the length of what came out, I suspect it's flush with the head.
#2
If you can get the rest of the intake bolts off, remove the intake manifold and break out the MIG welder. The goal is to weld a nut onto the broken bolt to turn/remove it. Unfortunately, those factory intake bolts are soft and aren't the strongest bolts in the world. I found out the hard way when I bolted a chain to the heads using the intake bolts and had one of them snap off while installing the motor into the truck.
#3
If you can get the rest of the intake bolts off, remove the intake manifold and break out the MIG welder. The goal is to weld a nut onto the broken bolt to turn/remove it. Unfortunately, those factory intake bolts are soft and aren't the strongest bolts in the world. I found out the hard way when I bolted a chain to the heads using the intake bolts and had one of them snap off while installing the motor into the truck.
Alas, I don't have a MIG welder. I have a small stick welder, but I'm not a good welder and my Parkinson's tremor makes welding really difficult. If several bolts break, and they are pretty rusty in there, I'm debating whether to pull the heads and have a machine shop take care of the bolts or pull the engine and do all the work on an engine stand. If I go that route, I'll replace all the expansion plugs in case one or two are rotten and possible replace the oil pump with a high volume one. I've got good pressure, but if it's apart, why not? The water pump that came off was good, but I may put a new one on, just because.
#4
#5
Alas, I don't have a MIG welder. I have a small stick welder, but I'm not a good welder and my Parkinson's tremor makes welding really difficult. If several bolts break, and they are pretty rusty in there, I'm debating whether to pull the heads and have a machine shop take care of the bolts or pull the engine and do all the work on an engine stand. If I go that route, I'll replace all the expansion plugs in case one or two are rotten and possible replace the oil pump with a high volume one. I've got good pressure, but if it's apart, why not? The water pump that came off was good, but I may put a new one on, just because.
#6
#7
If there is enough sticking out, clean up the area where it goes into the head really well, sprinkle liberally with penetrant, grab it with some vice-grips, and tap on the top of the bolt with a hammer, while wiggling the vice-grips back and forth. They usually break loose fairly quickly, and once they do, you can thread them right out. Of course, that assumes there is enough sticking out to get a grip on.
Trending Topics
#8
If there is enough sticking out, clean up the area where it goes into the head really well, sprinkle liberally with penetrant, grab it with some vice-grips, and tap on the top of the bolt with a hammer, while wiggling the vice-grips back and forth. They usually break loose fairly quickly, and once they do, you can thread them right out. Of course, that assumes there is enough sticking out to get a grip on.
It's broken off flush with the block. I have some LH drill bits. Hence my daily dose of penetrant. If I'm lucky, when the bit bites, it may just back out. If nothing else, I may just drill it out and run a bolt and nut through that corner. I've been cleaning the oily buildups off the block and may add a little heat to help things along.
#9
#10
There's a slight curve to the block under it. I don't know if there's enough room for it to exit underneath. Before I start grinding or drilling, I want to finish the timing chain work. I don't want a chance of metal bits getting in the engine if I can avoid it. I'm cleaning the intake and doing all the fittings on it right now. With the heat, I work a bit then go in the A/C.
Once the lower engine is closed up and the intake is ready to go on, then I'll start drilling. The truck overall looks like I dragged it out of the weeds recently. Mechanically it should be like new when I'm done. As I've worked on stuff, I'm surprised it ran as good as it did. Plenum bolts removed by hand, a flat beer can laying inside under the intake, and oil soaked cigarette butts all over it.